1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an improved compact transmission mechanism for driving a pair of output shafts by a reversible motor in a coin dispensing apparatus and more particularly to a simplified and economical switching gear mechanism that automatically responds to the output of a reversible electric motor.
2. Description of the Related Art
The present invention is directed to improvements in vending machine equipment wherein maintenance and costs are important factors. Vending machine equipment has been required to become more compact while still being required to handle the dispensing of coins and tokens for change or jackpots in gaming machines.
Generally, a coin hopper has components driven by a motor through a gear transmission system so that the motor can rotate in a clockwise direction and a counter-clockwise direction. Coin hopper equipment is usually driven to output coins from a bulk hopper. In a large capacity hopper equipment that is suitable, for example, in gambling and gaming machines, a large number of medallions or coins are stored and dispensed. As used in this application, the terminology xe2x80x9ccoinxe2x80x9d includes not only coins of a monetary currency, but also can include medallions, disc-like medals, tokens, etc.
An example of a large capacity coin hopper can be found in the laid open Japanese Patent Application No. 11-251,652. Referring to FIG. 9, a perspective view of the hopper equipment is disclosed. A cross-sectional view of the motor drive transmission assembly is shown in FIG. 9. A rectangular support or baseboard 4 extends in a vertical installation position and is supported by a pair of support frames 3. On one surface of the baseboard 4, a primary tank 1 for coin storage having a cylindrical shape is disclosed. Attached to this primary tank 1 is a larger capacity slanted or angled barrel case 10 with a secondary tank of a large pot like configuration having an opening 5 for receiving bulk coins. As can be readily determined, the primary tank 1, the intermediate case member 10 and the secondary tank 2 can store a large number of coins in bulk quantity. Within the primary tank 1, a deep plate-like dispensing disc 50 as shown in FIG. 10 is capable of contacting and releasing coins in a controlled manner. The deep plate-like disc is mounted for free rotation.
Mounted within the intermediate case member 10 is a flexible belt 14 with teeth or projections 15 that can be utilized for elevating the coins from the secondary storage tank 2 and dropping the coins into the deep plate-like disc 50. Thus, rotation of the belt 14 can distribute the coins to the primary tank I and as is conventionally known, the disc 50 or other structure can interact with the coins and selectively dispense the coins one by one.
To provide the rotational movement, a gear case 41 is fixed on the back surface of the baseboard 4 as can be seen in FIG. 10. An electric motor 40 can be appended from the gear case 41 so that the electric motor 40 can drive a small pinion gear 44 which is fixed to a shaft of the electric motor 40. The cross-section view of this gear arrangement is seen in FIG. 10. The pinion gear 44 can in turn mesh with a larger gear 45. The gear 45 is freely mounted within bearings to rotate. An output gear 46 further meshes with the large gear 45 and is also mounted for free rotation. Attached to this output gear 46 is a primary clutch member 47 and a secondary clutch member 48. The primary clutch member 47 can rotate the primary output shaft 42 when the electric motor 40 is rotated in a first positive direction. In this rotation, the primary output shaft 42 is coupled to a disc 50 for sending out the coins in the primary tank 1. The secondary clutch member 48 rotates a secondary output shaft 43 when the electric motor 40 is driven in a reverse direction. The secondary output shaft 43 is in turn coupled to a belt 31, see FIG. 9, by an intervening driving of the pulley 38, the belt 37, the pulley 36 shown in FIG. 9, and the shaft 34. This belt 31, while not shown, is coupled to the belt 14 for driving the coins in the case 10.
In summary, the disc 50, for picking up and sending the coins in a controlled manner, is rotated by the action of the primary clutch 47 when the electric motor 40 is rotated in a positive direction. At this time, the belt 14 for coin carrying is stopped by the action of the second clutch 48. When, however, the electric motor 40 is reversed, the second output shaft 43 is rotated by the action of the second clutch 48. As a result of this drive, the belt 31 is activated. During this activation, the disc 50 is not rotated by the action of the primary clutch 47. Thus, in this disclosure, either the disc 50 is rotated or the belt 14 is rotated in a selective manner, depending upon the direction of rotation of the electric motor 40.
As can be seen from FIG. 10, this arrangement requires a number of components and increases the size requirements of the coin dispenser. Additionally, since a pair of one-way clutches are utilized, there is always the possibility that inertia forces may jar and cause wear and vibration when the motor is reversed.
The present invention was developed in order to simplify transmission switching gear arrangement for dealing with a reversible motor. The present invention was also designed to decrease the number of parts and to simplify the transmission switching gear equipment. Additionally, the present invention was designed to absorb any reaction forces by a sudden stopping or reversing of the motor. The present invention was also designed to provide a relatively uncomplicated activation of one of two output shafts that can be automatically determined by a positive-reverse switching cycle relating to the direction of rotation of the motor.
The present invention provides a transmission assembly in a coin handling apparatus that can automatically activate one of two output shafts. A primarily stepped gear, which is freely mounted on a fixed shaft, includes a helical gear meshing with an output pinion of an electric motor. A spur gear is coaxially mounted on the shaft. A link unit comprising a pair of elongated movable boards or link members sandwich the primary step gear and are rotatable about the fixed shaft. Radially outward from the fixed shaft is a transfer shaft that extends between the respective link members and a second step gear is freely rotatably mounted on the transfer shaft and includes a switching gear that meshes with a coaxial spur gear. The spur gear can mesh with respective output shaft gears to respectively drive the desired output shafts. Positioned between the movable boards or link members and the primary step gear are elastic members such as spring like ring members to provide a frictional force between the primary step gear and the respective link members. Depending upon the rotation of the output shaft of the electric motor, the pinion gear will drive the helical gear to move upward or downward axially relative to the fixed shaft 23. When driven upward, it will cause a frictional engagement through an elastic spring member to drive the upper link member to rotate in a specific direction, thereby bringing the switching gear into engagement with a gear train to drive one of the output shafts. Conversely, a reverse driving of the pinion gear will drive the helical gear shaft downward to engage the lower elastic spring member to frictionally move the lower link member and rotate the large switching gear in the other direction to engage a transmission gear assembly to drive the other output shaft. As can be appreciated, the spring mounting can absorb some of the thrust forces that can occur upon a reversing of the electric motor.
As can be further determined, the number of parts and components utilized are substantially less than the conventional transmission mechanisms that have heretofore been used.
In summary, the present invention can be utilized in a coin storage and dispensing apparatus for storing coins in bulk wherein a reversible electrical motor can provide a driving force for transporting coins and also dispensing coins from a dispensing member. The present invention includes a transmission assembly of a compact configuration connected to the rotational output of the reversible electrical motor. A first supporting member or fixed shaft can rotatably mount a link unit. The link unit can include a first link member and a second link member that are rotatably mounted about the first support member. A first gear unit is mounted adjacent to the link unit and is operatively connected to the rotational output of the reversible motor. The first gear unit can be a stepped helical gear that can mesh with a helical pinion gear connected to an output shaft of the reversible electrical motor. A mounting unit is positioned to operatively contact the first gear unit and to rotate the link unit about the first support member depending upon the direction and rotation of the reversible electrical motor. The mounting unit can comprise a pair of spring plates or flexible bearing members that are mounted on either side of the first gear unit adjacent the first and second link members, respectively. The first gear unit can be driven to axially move along the support member and apply a thrust force to the mounting unit. Depending upon the direction of rotation of the reversible electrical motor, the link unit can rotate about the first support member in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction. Radially offset from the first support member is a switching gear unit that can be mounted on a transfer support member extending between the first and second link members. The switching gear unit can be a stepped gear unit and it can be operatively connected to the first gear unit so that it provides a driving force at two separate positions about the first support member depending upon the direction of rotation of the reversible motor. The switching gear unit can include a spur gear that can intermesh with one of two output gears that are connected respectively to output shafts.